Semiconductor technology has driven rapid advancements in many disciplines across numerous industries. Semiconductor technology has facilitated the fabrication of highly complex and compact integrated circuit (IC) devices. Semiconductor technology has also facilitated the manufacture of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). At present, advancements are being made to facilitate the fabrication of MEMS in integrated circuits on a common substrate.
During the fabrication of the above devices, numerous structures are typically formed on a semiconductor wafer. These structures may, for example, be formed on the semiconductor substrate itself or on another layer formed over the semiconductor substrate. As used herein, the term wafer layer will be used to refer to any layer on a semiconductor wafer, including the substrate itself and overlying layers. The structures may include gate electrodes and trenches, commonly found on integrated circuit devices, and mirrors, gears and comb fingers, commonly found on MEM systems.
Many of the structures found on IC devices and MEM systems are deep and narrow and/or narrowly spaced and can benefit from having smooth and/or vertical sidewalls. Narrow structures allow device sizes to be scaled down. Smooth and vertical sidewalls can for example increase the durability and reliability of a structure. This, in turn, can increase the life span of the structure and can increase fabrication yield. Smooth and vertical side walls can also improve the operating characteristics of a structure. For example, smooth and vertical side walls of a mirror can improve the optical transmission properties of an optical switch. As a result, manufacturers continue to seek techniques for improving the smoothness and/or verticality of narrow and deep structures formed on semiconductor wafers.